Profile
Dr Lesley Sawers OBE
Interim Deputy Chair and Scotland Commissioner at Equality and Human Rights Commission
About
Appointed for five years from 29 March 2016
Re-appointed for four years from 29 March 2021
Appointed Interim Deputy Chair from 29 September 2023
Appointment extended for one year, to December 2025
Lesley is currently a non-executive director of Crosswinds Developments Ltd and a Trustee of Smart Works Scotland. She is also a Director of GenAnalytics Ltd, a specialist analytical and market insights consultancy. Previously Lesley was Vice Principal and Pro Vice Chancellor for Business, Enterprise and Innovation at Glasgow Caledonian University, Chief Executive of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry and Deputy Chair of the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency. She has also held senior executive positions at Scottish Power plc, Royal Mail, CACI Inc and VisitScotland. She is also a past Trustee and Chair of Action for Children (Scotland), a Trustee of Age Scotland, Chair of the Royal Mail Advisory Board Scotland and Chair of the Scottish Cities Alliance. Lesley was awarded an OBE in the New Years Honours in 2018 for services to Equality and Business.
As Scotland Commissioner, she also serves on the Equality and Human Rights Commission Board of Commissioners. On 29 September 2023 Lesley was appointed Interim Deputy Chair of the Board by the Minister for Women and Equalities.